Hypothesis about PHBx

[Aloïsius]

Because the PHB1 is called "divine, arcane and martial heroes" we are guessing that PHB2 and following would be things like "psionic, steampunk and shadow heroes", power-source centered.
But what about the next PHB being about style of play ? Like "PHB3 : grim and gritty heroes" ? Or detailing level of play ? "PHB5 : epic heroes" (something like an expanded EPH). Or about morality "PHB7 : holy heroes" (something like 4e BoED, but player centric) ?

so, my question is : wich kind of books can be PHB, and wich kind of books won't be called core ?

 

[Belorin]

Because the PHB1 is called "divine, arcane and martial heroes" we are guessing that PHB2 and following would be things like "psionic, steampunk and shadow heroes", power-source centered.
But what about the next PHB being about style of play ? Like "PHB3 : grim and gritty heroes" ? Or detailing level of play ? "PHB5 : epic heroes" (something like an expanded EPH). Or about morality "PHB7 : holy heroes" (something like 4e BoED, but player centric) ?

so, my question is : wich kind of books can be PHB, and wich kind of books won't be called core ?

I think each new PHB will contain new Power Sources along with the classes able to utilize them. Also new races, feats/talent trees/whatever and spells/powers. maybe even new Magic Items.

Bel

 

[Baby Samurai]

They are going a very Magic:the Gathering block type format – each year they will bring out a new PHB, MM, DMG, and a campaign setting book to support it.

2009 – PHB II (psioinc power source etc) and the Eberron campaign setting etc.

 

[RangerWickett]

Well, if PHB 2 is Eberron, it would be like, PHB 2: Artificers, Dreamers, and Savage heroes. It would cover Eberron races (warforged, kalashtar, and shifters are artificers, dreamers, and savage heroes; changelings and gnomes would be included too because not _everything_ has to be on-theme), Eberron classes (more on that below), and Eberron magic (i.e., psionics and magitech).

We have artifice-based, psionic, and savagery-based classes.

Ardent (psionic leader)
Artificer (artifice controller)
Barbarian (savage striker)
Dragon Shaman (savage leader)
Druid (savage controller)
Juggernaut (artifice defender)
Psion (psionic controller)
Soulknife (psionic striker)

Sounds good?

 

[GreatLemur]

I don't think they're going to flood the game with quite so many new power sources as some folks seem to be proposing, but new power sources will definitely be coming. I'm expecting the first new ones will be Psionic and whatever they've linked Druids to (assuming they're no just Divine, like they used to be).

I'm starting to think, though, that we could look at the new cosmology for hints about where power sources are going. Obviously, since the Astral Sea is where all the godly domains are, we can connect the Divine power source to it. So maybe we could consider Arcane to be linked to the Elemental Tempest? It might work, anyway. And then the Feywild and Shadowfell start looking like really obvious suggestions for new power sources: Fey/Nature, Shadow/Death.

But yeah, I'm definitely thinking that we'll be seeing Druids and Psionicists in the PH2.

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

I really dont know who likely it is we will see the Return if Incarnum, True Name, Binding, or Shadow Magic. They might make a return, but not for a long time.

 

[Aloïsius]

Looks like I'm in the minority thinking that the PHB could be about something else than power sources....

Hum, maybe variant styles of play (grim and gritty, low magic etc...) will be described in the DMGx ?

BTW, we don't really know what will be in the DMG1.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The 3E PHB2 had nothing to do with power sources, and they managed to get it filled quite handily. I suspect the designers have more ideas, generally, than room in any book. Sticking the best ideas of the year into each year's PHB, MM and DMG will work out just fine. The central theme can be "this the really good stuff."

 

[GreatLemur]

Looks like I'm in the minority thinking that the PHB could be about something else than power sources....

Hum, maybe variant styles of play (grim and gritty, low magic etc...) will be described in the DMGx ?

I'm not really expecting the additional core books to be themed at all, really. I think they'll probably be just about analogous to the 3.5 PHB2 and DMG2: They'll contain new material that the designers consider broad enough in its applicability to be made part of the core rules. There will probably still be one-off themed books like Heroes of Horror or Dragon Magic to explore various non-core ideas. Both the core and non-core books might add new power sources to the game.

 

[Baby Samurai]

whatever they've linked Druids to (assuming they're no just Divine, like they used to be).

I seriously hope druids drop the divine connections.